This application relates generally to stored-value instruments. More specifically, this application relates to methods and systems for detecting fraudulent use of stored value cards.
Stored value, gift, or other pre-paid metered accounts associated with debits cards are well-known for providing access to goods and services. For example, gift cards may be purchased from various merchants such as Target®, Wal-Mart®, Starbucks®, Sears®, Blockbuster®, and the like. Pre-paid debit cards are also frequently purchased for telephone services. The purchase and usage of pre-paid debit cards has continued to increase in recent years to the point that the sale of pre-paid debit cards today is a multi-billion dollar industry. Pre-paid cards, such as gift cards issued by a merchant, are advantageous to the merchant because customers using them are more likely to shop the merchant and also more likely to spend beyond the initial value of the gift card. Other prepaid cards may be issued by a bank or money transfer office, and may be used like a credit card to make purchases, up to the balance maintained within the card account.
In some cases, pre-paid debit cards are printed and issued with a predetermined value and balance, and typically sold as a retail item. An example of one such a card is a pre-paid gift card which provides an individual with a set dollar amount for the purchase of goods from a particular merchant. In other cases, a gift card may be printed without a predetermined value, but when it is purchased and activated the customer pays for the amount of money to be “loaded” onto the card.
Clearinghouse arrangements have been set up to handle gift card accounts on behalf of merchants. For example, ValueLink, L.L.C., a unit of First Data Corporation, provides database services that merchants may access for activating and maintaining gift card accounts. When the card is purchased, the card is electronically read (e.g., by reading a magnetic stripe and/or printed bar code on the card) by the merchant to activate the account at the database. Once activated, the card is used to make purchases (redemptions) by reading the card at the time of purchase and debiting the purchase amount from the account.
In recent years, stored-value cards have become increasingly popular among consumers. The steadily increasing demand for such cards, in the form of prepaid gift cards and other types of stored-value cards, has resulted in an increased number of merchants offering stored-value cards for sale. This success in marketing stored-value cards has, however, spawned a variety of fraudulent practices related to these cards.
There is, accordingly, a general need in the art for methods and systems to provide detection of unauthorized or fraudulent uses of such stored-value instruments.